Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-03-17

notions OF what Henry George teaches
from the silly criticisms so common in
our leading newspapers.
say he does not seem to have read
George, because he talks about the fat
jobs Democrats would get in the states
where they were in the majority and
in the states where they
should elect tie officials, just as though |
state officials or public officers would |
have something to do with land under |
the regime George would inaugurate. |
On page 364. Progress and Poverty,
George says: 81 do not propose either
TO purchase or confiscate private prop
erty in land. The first would be unjust,
the second, needless"
Nor to take rent for public uses is it
necessary that the state should bother
with the letting of land, and assume
the chances OF favoritism, collision and
corruption that might involve. 1t is
not necessary that any new machinery
should be created. The machinery al
ready exists. Instead of extending it,
[
duce' it.n
| You see the man who got tat job in
those bottoms land your economist re-
! fers to, would also get some fat taxes
| to match it, and the inevitable result
would be that fat jobs would have to
beg for very lean takers under the
George plan. But let us quote from
the bottom of the same page and top
of the next: For rent taken 10y the
state in taxes, land, no matter III whose
name it stood or III what parcels ii was
hela, would really he common proper
ty, and every member of the cOmmun-
ity would participate in the advantages
IF its ownership
But Your statesman goes from had to
worse and talks about property as
though Henry George was tainted
yes, as though he taught communism.
Turn 10 page 299, Progress and Poe
ert.:: "N hat constitutes the rig itfui
basis of property? " hat is it that ena-
bles Il man justly to say of a thing, 1T
is mine?' From what springs the SEN
timent which acknowledges his exc.u-
sive right as against all the world? Is
it not, primarily, the right of man to
himself, to the Use OF his own powers,
to the enjoymen of the fruits Of lis
own exertiuns?n GAS
man belongs to himself, so his labor,
when put in concrete form, belongs to
him."
Mr.. George teaches more distinctly
and clearly than most economists, the
right of private property in that class
of things which can justly become
property. If the gentleman wants t6
find simon pure communist he mus
| 20 to Simon Peter, or the assumed
founder of Pope Corrigan's church. |
: he will read the fourth chapter of Act:
[ or the sd and 35th verses he will tinC
2 who approved of communism. If hs
1 wants more he can come to st. Gregory
| the Great and read. LET them know
that the earth from which they were
, created is the common property of al
, men. Those that make private prop
\ erty of the gifts of God pretend in vair
3 to be innocent, for by thus retaining
the subsistence of the poor they are the
murderers of those who die daily fol
: the want of it.n DR.. McGlynn is teach
> ing the doctrine that his church has
taught for centuries. except when {
politician set himself up as its mouth
piece.
Your ecOnomist-the name in thi:
\ copy of the REGISTER is so defaced
cannot make it out Is confused in
thought when he makes no distinction
between the things that are the pro
; ducts of human labor, which decay
and soon pass away and which are ours
to have between such things ant
land, which, we do not produce, bu
:. appropriate, and which can properl,
$ be ours only to use, the possession q
@ which should be conditioned, not upol
q the amount of money We can use il
r fappropriating it, but upon the use WI
k make of it. Not ours to have hut our
U only to use. To allow private propert.
q the other.
r Herbert Spencer says: "Such doc
!. trne is consistent with the highes
il state of civilization; may be carried OF
: without involving community o
@ goods; and need cause no very seriou
revolution in existing arrangements.
And he pointedly says that equity doe
d not permit property in land.
Let me say to the gentleman tina
: Mr.. George is not only the profoundes
thinker of the age, but one of the mos
pains taking writers. He does not al
I low a line to go in print till it has beeI
thoroughly studied after being writtel
d and often writes mere screed owe
{ three or more times. | do not wish t
i discourage or stop his pen, but mus
= ask your tOwnSman to read CAREFUL.
e before he Crticises. He has critIcise,
ID George about as well as most other
$ who have tried it, not excepting th
e Duke of Argyle, but no man SHOULD
have the temerity to attack anothe
e who stands upon the simple funda
( mental truth that George does, if b
had reconnoitred the position we'll an
fully digested his thoughts. VIVA
does Mr.. George propose? Simply t
put taxation on land values. Why
l. Because taxation is a burden and dis
hcf 20 4 sc flnr